Sepsis and asepsis are opposite terms. Sepsis is a clinical condition where a person has a systemic reaction to a bacterial infection from a localized infection in one part of the body, such as a wound or infected tooth. Sepsis, relatively common, can be treated with antibiotics, but when the body doesn’t respond to treatment options, the patient may enter septic shock, a progression of sepsis. Septic shock leads to death in up to 40% of cases.

Asepsis, on the other hand, is the normal state of not being in sepsis. Commonly used in pathology, asepsis indicates an individual is free of sepsis. For example, a patient suffering from sepsis who responds well to treatment will improve and eventually will return to the state of asepsis.

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